Vegetable prices have fallen in the markets of Mymensingh, and chicken prices have come down too, bringing relief to low- and middle-income shoppers. Buyers believe prices would fall further if officials monitored the markets strictly and regularly.

The fall in prices was found on a visit to the town's traditional Mechhua Bazar on the afternoon of Thursday, 26 February.

According to buyers and sellers, green chilli and drumstick have fallen the most. Green chilli, which sold at Tk 140 a kg last week, now sells at Tk 90, and drumstick has dropped from Tk 250 to Tk 200 a kg. Cucumber, aubergine, tomato and carrot are down by Tk 20 to 30: cucumber from Tk 80 to Tk 50, aubergine from Tk 80 to Tk 60, tomato from Tk 40 to Tk 20 and carrot from Tk 50 to Tk 30 a kg. Lemon has fallen from Tk 80 to Tk 70, flat beans from Tk 40 to Tk 30 and yardlong beans from Tk 60 to Tk 50 a kg.

Prices are steady for capsicum at Tk 400 a kg, green papaya at Tk 30 a kg, ash gourd at Tk 60 each, cauliflower at Tk 40 each, green banana at Tk 30 for four and coriander leaves at Tk 20 a bunch.

Broiler chicken has fallen from Tk 180 to Tk 170 a kg and Sonali cock from Tk 300 to Tk 290. White cock is steady at Tk 280 a kg. Duck eggs sell at Tk 60 for four, farm chicken eggs at Tk 35 for four, beef at Tk 750 a kg and mutton at Tk 1,100 a kg.

Fish prices per kg are: mrigel Tk 280-350, pangas Tk 170-200, pabda Tk 430-550, tengra Tk 510-780, rui Tk 320-420, kalibaus Tk 300-370, catla Tk 340-440, shing Tk 350-650, silver carp Tk 210-280, shol Tk 540-600, tilapia Tk 200-280, taki Tk 410-540 and koi Tk 250-350.

Mohiuddin, a shopper buying vegetables, said most vegetable prices had fallen, so he had filled his bag with the vegetables he needed. Low- and middle-income buyers can shop with some relief, he said, but prices could fall further if officials monitored the market strictly and regularly.

Azhar Ali, who was buying chicken, said he had bought four kg of broiler and Sonali chicken and paid Tk 10 less per kg. If prices fall further, low- and middle-income buyers will be able to shop comfortably, he said.

Mymensingh Deputy Commissioner Md Saifur Rahman said he had inspected Mechhua Bazar himself and traders had been told not to raise prices needlessly. Officials are monitoring the market, and action will be taken against any seller who raises prices unreasonably, he said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.